NEVERNESS By Fairoz Ahmad Fiction/Ethos Books/Paperback/ 226 pages/$24 ★★★★½
Propulsive mystery blends easily with fertile recreation of kampung life in this easy-on-the-eye bildungsroman by Singapore author Fairoz Ahmad.
Alia, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, has disappeared, and the Malay village of Engku Aman in Geylang Serai is scandalised.
A late-night search and passing time reveal increasingly disturbing facts. Before her disappearance, Alia had supposedly gone to an out-of-the-way grocer for bread, a 50-minute errand her father had inexplicably sent her on in the dead of night.
And when this is coupled with a grocer known for her tempestuous temper, plus the revelation that Alia was wearing an expensive bracelet, speculations abound but softly, insinuatingly, as some accusations are not meant to be spoken out loud.
Fairoz's protagonist is Miriam, who recounts the fateful episode, her fragmented knowledge the reader's source of partial information as she treads her way carefully through the puzzle.
Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin November 10, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin November 10, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
COD IS KING IN PORTUGAL
Salt cod has long been a national staple in Portugal, where it is said there are as many recipes for this humble fish as there are days in the year.
Comedian Mark Lee's drag queen comedy Number 1's sequel to be released over CNY
The hit drag queen comedy Number 1, which landed Singaporean comedian Mark Lee a Best Leading Actor nomination at the Golden Horse Awards in 2020, will soon return for a sequel.
Lion King prequel falls prey to Sonic the Hedgehog at box office
LOS ANGELES - Disney's mighty lion Mufasa... eaten alive by a hedgehog? Action-adventure comedy film Sonic The Hedgehog 3, directed by Jeff Fowler, collected roughly US$62 million (US$84 million) in its first weekend in North American theatres, according to Comscore, which compiles box-office data.
Jang Na-ra bags grand prize at K-drama awards show
South Korean singer and actress Jang Na-ra and trot singer Lee Chan-won wrapped up 2024 triumphantly, taking home top honours at drama and entertainment awards ceremonies held over the weekend.
Lively's co-stars show her support
Blake Lively sexual harassment lawsuit
Macau diversifying beyond casinos into sports, culture, arts
MACAU - \"The most exciting thing for me is riding on a circuit like this - there's nothing else like it in the world,\" said 52-year-old British motorcycle racer Michael Rutter about the Guia Circuit in Macau.
Turning snow into gold
China's winter sports boom is expected to propel its ice-and-snow economy past $187 billion in 2025
Baring it all in Germany's spa towns
Celebrate the country's hot springs and history of wellness at Baden-Baden, Bad Homburg and Wiesbaden
One of the toughest tables to book in Paris? It's in Disneyland
As soon as we booked the Eurostar from London to Paris, we began scouting the most important element of our trip: where to eat.
In Scotland to taste a CULINARY RENAISSANCE
A new generation of entrepreneurs and chefs is showcasing traditional and contemporary Scottish cuisine
